Mail-marking machine



Augf.14, 192s. www3 L. J. ZAHN .MAIL MARKING MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 19253 Sheets-Sheet l I 11mm' INVENTOR L AwRENcE d. Z Arm.

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L. J. ZAHN MAIL MARKING MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR LAWRENCE d. ZAHN.

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L. J. ZAHN MAIL MARKlNG MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1925 3 Sheets-SheetINVENTOR LAWRENCE d., :ZN-:RLy

7W ATTORNEY Fatented Aug. 14, 1928.

f errno srAres LAWRENCE J'. ZAHN, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR TO INTERNA- TIONAL POSTAL SUPPLY COMPANY, OFBROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MAIL-MARKING MACHINE.

Application led August 1, 1925.

This invention relates to a mail marking machine which separates themail matter and then cancels the stamp, or post-marks the piece of mail.

It is the principal object of my present invention to provide a machinefor this purpose which is especially adapted to be operated by hand,there being a certain demand for canceling or post marking machines ofthis kind.V f i Another object of my invention is to provide a handoperated mail marking machine which includes Vmany of the features ofthe more expensive power vactuated machines, yet, eliminating many ofthe parts used in such power operated machines and simplifying the fullcombination.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine which is readily'portable and one in which the operatingV parts may be readily reached for the purpose of inspection and adjustment.

These and other objects will be apparent to one skilled in this artafter a consideration of the speciiication taken in connection with theannexed'ldrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sideview of the machine, a partofthe hand operating wheel being broken away'to show the parts' behindit.

4Figure 2 is aV plan view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a View of the back'of the machine with the side of the gearhousing removed to show the interior parts.

Figure 4 isV an end'view of the machine ,looking at the right of Fig. 1.i

Figure 5 is adetailed view ofsome Vof the operating parts. y

Figure 6 Vis a perspective view of the sepai .rater roller and itsoperating wheel.

f Fig. 7.

Figure 7 is a view of the die structure and its support.

Figure 8 is a partial sideview of the trip mechanism shown in Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a view of the left hand end of V.Figure 10 is a partsectionalview of the combination printing and trip pressure and stackerfeed roller.

Figure 11 is an end view of one part ofA the roller looking to the lefton the line 11-1lf 4 i Figure 12 is a yiew of the otherpart of theroller looking to the right of the line 11-11 ofFiglO. a j' Figure 13 isa part sectional view of the Serial No. 47,496.

Vhousing 2 extending therefrom. The base 1 also carries a bracket orsupport member 3 which assists in carrying a feed table 4 on which themail to be marked is placed for feeding to machine. A main operatingshaft 5 is supported by a part of the housing 2 and the support 3. Onthe outer end ofthe shaft 5 is operatively connected a hand wheel 6having a handle 7 for turning the shaft. AEither the hub of the wheel 6or a shaft 5 has fastened thereto a ratchet wheel 8 to cooperate with apawl 9 carried on the support 3, the object of which is to provide meanswhereby the shaft can be turned only in one direction and that, theproper one. Vithin the housing 2 and on the end of the shaft 5 iscarried a large gear wheel 10. In mesh with the gear Wheel 10 is apinion 11 which is fastened to a shaft 12 that operates the diestructure 13. The die structure is composed of a die similar to thatshown in Jahn Patent 856,345issued -J une 11,1907, while the clutcharrangement for controlling the die is the same as described in my jointapplication with John A. Mitchell SerialvNo.749,961 filed November 14,1924, and, therefore, these parts will not be described in detail.Likewise, the trip mechanism illustrated *generally by the numeral 14 inFigures 7 and 8, is the same as that shown in said Jahn patent andwillnot be described in detail herein.

As will be seen in the drawings, the die structureand trip mechanism iscarried on a bracket 15 attached to the housing 2. lt will, however, beunderstood thatthe part 16 of the die structure is attached to the shaft12 and is Vcontinuously turning with the shaft 12 while the die 13 isheld from turning by the stop 17 against the pin 18 in the end of thedie `until such time as the IUI.)

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which engage the star wheel 21 fastened to a shaft 22 which in turn iscarried on a lever 23 pivoted to the housing at 24. The opposite end ofthe shaft 22 carries a separator roller 25 which acts to separate thepieces of mail matter as they are brought forward by the large feedVroll 26 that is mounted directly on the shaftl 5 intermediate itsbearings. The position of the shaft 22 and the separator roller 25 isadjusted by means of the rod 27 and the thumb nut 2S. The housing 2 alsocari'ies an inker 29 that is mounted on an adjustable arm 30.

Associated with the die struc-ture 13 and' the continuously rot-atingpart thereof 16, is a combination roller consisting of two part-s 31 and32. The part 31 is mounted 'to rotate on a shaft 33 carried on an arm34ewhich 'in turn lis pivotly mounted on the pivot pin 35, the arm 34being extended and jointed atf36 to an adjusting stud 37 which, throughthe action ofthe spring 38 and thumb nut 39, can be raised and loweredthereby varyingthe position of the roller 31, known as the priitingpressure roller that engages the suiface of the die per se as the sameis turned after it has been released as previously re-V ferred to. It isto be understood that when the die 13 is not turning, the printingpressure roller 31 is opposite acut-away or depressed portion of thesurface of the die and is therefore'not in contact with it. The end ofthe piinting pressure .roller 31 has a pro jecting part or tongue 40which is adapted to beV positioned in a groove 41 in the trip pressureroller 32. There is suiiicient clearance between the groove 41 and thetongue 40 to provide for the adjustment of the part 31 by means of thethumb nut 39 as has been described. The' part 32 constituting the trippressure part of the combination roller is Vp-lvoted on an arm 42 to theend of which a spring 43 is attached to continuously hold the part 32`against the member 1G as sho-wn inthe dotted line in Fig.7. lThe twoparts 31 and 32 as above described together constitutes a stacker feedroller, that is to say, they act to carry the mail past the die andvinto the stacker which will now be described.

Carried by the base is a plate 4&1- which is preferably slidable ingrooves in the base and adapted to be held in any adjustable position assho-wn in the dottedA lines of Figs.

v1 and 2 by means of a setV screw 45. The plate carries guide members46. Similar guide members are also attached to the stationary part ofthe base thereby constituting the bacli of the stacker pocket, the frontof which pocket is closed by a pair of similar guide members which areattached to: a rotatable member 47. One side of the member 47 has aflatportion against which a plunger 13 is positioned. A spring 49serves-.to push the plunger 43 continuously against the member 47thereby tending always to hold it in a position-such that the guidemembers 4G Y are in an upright position, but, when itis ,desired to takethe mail frointhe `stacker Vparticular' members to a horizont-alposition as indicatedby thedotted lines in Fig. 2 thereby allowing` thestacker pocket to be opened in order toeasilv get at the Y matter. Theback of the stacker pocliet is closed by a pair of members 50 which havetheir upper ends curved inwardly towardthe separator roller and on anarc approximatingthat of the circumferenceof-tlielarge feed roller 26.These curved ends serve lto pocket. In order to insure thatthe mail`matter lands in the pocket after: coming through the machine,l aflexible member 51 preferably inthe form of a flat spring is positionedover the Vpocket so"that, as the mail hits it, the iiapper spring 51throwsor guides the mail matterinto the pocket. The spring 51 serves anadditional function in that its inner end 52 extends at a point so as toact as a tension spring on a part of the trip mechanism as vmore clearlyshown in It may also be mentioned. that the machine carries a magazine53 in which is carried the type for resetting the die'from'dayto day.

From the precedingit is believed that the 'operation of the machinewillbe .clearly priiiting-pressure roller also carried oiivthe housingand a single feed roll carried directly on said shaft in cooperationwith the separator roller. j j

2. In a mail marking machine, a base, ahousing extending lfrom the base,a main operating shaft having a support in said housing, aii'ii'ilrerand a separator roller both adjustably carried on the housing, aprinting die and trip mechanism[therefor -and a printing pressure rolleralsovcarried onthe housing, a single feed roll carried directly` on saidshaft in cooperation with thesepara- -tor roller, a staelreifplateadjustable on the base, guide jmemberson the base and plate forming aVstackerpocliet; one pair of guide members on: the base being arranged,one on either side of said feed roll, and having iioY their free endscurved toward the separator roller.

3. In a mail marking machine, a base, a housing extending from thebase,^a main operating shaft havingv a support in said housing, an inkerand a separator rollerboth adjust'ably carried on the housing, aprinting die and trip mechanism therefor and a 4printing pressurerolleralso carried `on the housing, a single feed roll carried directlyon said shaft in cooperation with the separator roller.` a stacker plateadjustable on the base, guide members on the base and plate forming astacker pocket; oneV pair of guide members on the base being arranged,one on eitherl side of said feed roll, and having their free ends curvedtoward the separator roller, and a flexible member carried adjacent thehousing so one end eX-V extends Vover the top of the pocket for the lpurpose described and the other end acting as a tension spring on a partof the trip mechanism. l

5. In a mail marking machine including a main drive shaft, a printingdie operated from said shaft, a trip mechanism for the die, a singlefeed roll carried on the shaft, a separator roller, a combined printingand trip pressure roller and an adjustable stacker pocket adjacent saidfeed roller.

6. In a mail marking machine including a main drive shaft, a printingdie operated from said shaft, a trip mechanism for the die, asingle feedroll carried on the shaft, a separator roller, 'and a combination rollercooperating with the die structure acting asa printing and trip pressureroller as well as a stacker feed roller.

7. In a mail marking machine including a die structure and a tripmechanism for controlling the operation of the die, means for feedingmail matter past the die, means for operating the die and a combinationroller cooperating with the .die structure acting as a printing and trippressure roller as well as a stacker feed roller.

S. In a mail marking machine including a die structure and a tripmechanism for controlling the operation of the die, means for feedingmail matter past the die, means for operating the die and a rollercomprising two parts having relative movement therebetween, one partengaging the die when it turns and the other normally engaging a partAof the die structure in continuous motion while the machine is beingoperated.

9. In a mail marking machine including a die structure and a tripmechanism for con trolling the operation of the die, means forfeeding'mail matter past the die, means for operating the die', a rollercomprising two parts having separate bearings but one part being drivenby the other, one of said parts acting as a printing pressure roller andthe otlierpart as a trip pressure roller.

10. In a mail marking machine including a die structure and a tripmechanism for controlling the operation of the die, means for feedingmail matter past the die, means for operating the die and a combinationroller comprising; a part normally held under spring tension against acontinuous moving part of the die structure, and another part adapted toengage the die when it turns and means for adjusting the relativeposition of said two parts.

Y 1l. In a mail marking machine including a die structure and a tripmechanism for controlling the operation of the die, means for feeding'mail matter past the die, means for operating the die and a combinationroller comprising; a part normally held under spring tension against acontinuous moving part of the die structure, and another part adapted toengage the die when it turns, a tongue in one part of the combinationroller and a groove in the other part for completing a drivingconnection between the two Vand means for adjusting one part withrespect to the other.

l2. In a mail marking machine including a die structure and a tripmechanism for controlling the operation of the die, means for feedingmail matter past the die, means for operating the die and a combinationroller comprising; a part normally held under spring tension against acontinuous moving part of the die structure, and another part adapted toengage the die when it turns, said parts being axially spaced and havingan adjustable driving connection therebetween.

13. In a hand operated mail marking machine, a base, a gear housingextending upward from said base, a main drive shaft having a bearing insaid housing and an outboard bearing supported on said base, anoperating handle on the outer end of said shaft, a main driving gear onthe shaft within the housing, a die structure supported by the housingand having a gear in mesh with said main gear, a trip mechanism for thedie carried by the housing, a single feed roll carried on the shaftintermediate its bearing, a separator roller adj ustably carried by thehousing and a combined printing and trip pressure and stacker feedroller adjacent the die structure.

14. In a hand operated mail marking malUO chine7 a base, a gearhousingextending upward from said base, a main drive shaft having abearing in said housing and an outboard bearing supported on said base,an operating handle on `the outer end of said shaft, amain driving gearon theshaft Within the housing, a die structure supported by thehousingy and having a gear in mesh with said main gear, a trip mechanismfor the die carried by the housing. A single feed roll carried on theshaft intermedia its bearing, a separator roller earriedby a stub shaftoperated from said diegearfan adjustable 'lever pvoted on said housingfor supporting said stub shaft, a Combined printing and Vtrip pressureand stacker feed roller adjacent the die structure and operatedtherefrom and aV stacker Comprising aplate adjustable on said'base andguidemembers on both the base and plate.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

" LAWRENCE' J. ZAHN.

